North Carolina: Arthur Brings Rain but Some Areas Still Dry – USDA

GENERAL: Days suitable for field work 5.7. Topsoil moisture 9% very short, 29% short, 58% adequate and 4% surplus. Subsoil moisture 6% very short, 25% short, 64% adequate and 5% surplus. Received scattered showers and thunderstorms across the state this week with precipitation amounts recorded over 2 inches in some eastern areas. This week’s report shows cotton squaring was rated at 85%, peanuts pegging at 80%, corn silking at 88%, dough at 50%, and dented at 18%, soybeans blooming at 33% and setting pods at 13%. The second cutting of hay at 59% and peaches harvested at 49%.

Comments

Hurricane Arthur dropped 2″ to 4″ of much needed rain across the county last week. No significant wind damage. Some damage to tobacco occurred, which will make sucker control difficult and affect crop quality. Localized flooding in places will reduce crop yield in some soybeans and cotton. In general crops look very good. Southern corn rust has not yet been found in Pender County but it has been found in adjacent counties.
–Mark Seitz – Pender County Extension

Some extremely dry areas of Harnett received some much needed rain this past week. Tobacco has been waiting on rain to activate fertilizer and finish filling out. Tobacco harvest has not started at this point and it is looking like it will be a late crop. Cotton, soybeans and sweet potato crops looking good at this point.
–Brian Parrish – Harnett County Extension

Moisture variable across region, nowhere in excess. Some localities have had little rain in several weeks.
–Tim Hall – Region 4 Agronomist

Much needed rain arrived on Thursday afternoon with cotton squaring to early bloom the rain was needed for square retention
–Cathy Herring – Johnston County Central Crops

The Northern and Eastern parts of the county have not had meaningful rain since mid-May. Corn is drying up, soybeans have very poor stands, pastures and hay are dormant and brown. Spring hay cutting was less than average and farmers are now feeding hay and selling cattle early.
–Carl Pless – Cabarrus County Extension

Rains that have fallen east of I-95 have crop conditions improving, while continued dry conditions, mainly west of I-95, have crop conditions deteriorating. Tobacco growers that have the capability are irrigating.
–Don Nicholson – Region 7 Agronomist

Region 9 did not receive much rain over the past week and crops continue to suffer unless irrigated. Farmers continue to irrigate tobacco and corn. Guilford, Randolph, and Moore counties are very dry and corn is very stunted in some areas. Vegetable crops are still in good shape under drip irrigation, but water sources are beginning to become limited in some areas.
–Colby Lambert – Region 9 Agronomist